Booking Glory-Chapter 53: IndiSoft Product Launch - Part 3

"... with this, we will be creating a new era where not just learned professionals. But, every common person in the world can operate a computer."

Claps resounded to mark the end of the product launch speech causing Rob to look up and applaud as if he hadn’t dozed off a bit in the middle. The speech had started well, with the representative from IndiSoft detailing the new features they have introduced in the UI-OS compared to a traditional OS that was still working on text commands.

The design they had shown to the room was not that perfect. But, Rob could easily guess that this was just the first version and they would probably improve it in the following versions.

After it was what Apple did in his original universe. They reiterated the design and added more functionality to each version of their product. This created such a huge demand and even made them a huge brand that easily caused people to sell their kidneys to own one of their products.

However, where Rob lost the ball was when the representative started going deep into the specifications. Rob wasn’t keen to know what architecture they used, what is the capability, and other stuff that people like Brent were fixated on.

To him, it was very simple. Will the OS be easier to use? Will it widen the market for computers? Will IndiSoft’s new product have any value out there? How high would it sell?

And it seemed like most businessmen were of the same mind. When Rob looked around to see if any other person in the room was feeling the same as him, it was clear most businessmen felt the same.

Several of them were hiding their yawns and trying to get back to concentrating on what was being said. Never mind the product launch was already over. They looked as if they had a lot of questions on their minds and weren’t really shy to ask, even if they sounded dumb and unnecessary to most people in the room.

As the representative started answering those questions and their expected sales projections, people like Brent started to discuss amongst themselves the features of the OS.

"I had to admit, the design looked good. But, that is all there is to it. It is like a pretty bauble you buy for a kid. None of their specifications are even close to reaching industry standards, let alone pushing it," he heard a man mutter to Brent from the side.

Rob turned to look at him and found his point being agreed upon by a lot of people. Most people in the room were derisive of the UI-OS and attributed it to some charlatan show executed by the IndiSoft.

Several were vocal about their disappointment in the OS and stated very clearly that they wouldn’t be caught dead using it. Brent was among the group of individuals that expressed that sentiment.

Rob merely listened to all their complaints and sneered inwardly. These people were all living in their dreamland. They didn’t even have a basic idea of what the market needed.

Only when there is demand, there will be supply.

If computer development was left to these men, they would make it into something like rocket science. That was the wrong path to go. While these men indulged in their fancy thinking like some theoretical physicist, IndiSoft was going to make away with a lot of money.

It was only now that Rob understood how Microsoft became a huge giant in his original world. They found a gap in the market, built a product that targeted it, and then utilized their first mover advantage to establish a stranglehold on the market that very few were able to get out of.

Rob shook his head knowing that associating with these dreamers may make one feel self-important, but it was people like IndiSoft that moved the world. They were the moneymakers. And a smart person would prefer them over the dreamers any day.

And it was evident in how the businessmen were surrounding the people from IndiSoft and asking them about their goals, strategies, long-term vision, and all that stuff.

Rob was clear that these businessmen were evaluating whether IndiSoft had value for investment. Rob knew that these men wouldn’t cough up money until they saw some results. So, he was sure that they will take some time to come to a decision.

These people didn’t have the advantage he had. He had seen and read about the development of computers in his old world. The first evolution of computers was the Personal Computers or Desktop Computers. And IndiSoft already had one foot in that direction.

Only when every household in the world had a computer will the Internet be born. And only when the Internet flourishes will Social Media be born. Then it would transform into other aspects of the computer field.

The demand generated by the users was the most important thing for technology to move forward. And Personal Computers were vital to creating that user base first. And this UI-OS was the perfect component to push forward the Personal Computer industry.

From what he had seen and heard in this room, Rob was confident that his bet on IndiSoft was the right one. This new UI-OS was everything he had thought a graphic OS would look like.

From the mouse to the windows and buttons on the screen, the OS had the shadow of the Windows OS. While it can’t even be compared to the level that Windows 95 was in, the direction it was poised to move towards seemed right.

After all, this was the first iteration of their OS. And with each iteration, more resources will be put in and more money will be squandered. With more money, new technologies will be researched and put out.

So, Rob was confident that this OS would do really well. Maybe not that much in this iteration, but it will show the hungry sharks out there that there was money here to pump. And those sharks will flock here and invest their money to get more returns.

It took another half an hour for the room to empty. Rob and Brent came out and started their car back to Brent’s company. As much as Rob wanted to avoid it, he knew that he need to reciprocate some goodwill towards Brent for helping him out today.

Furthermore, he was feeling a little guilty regarding his conversation with Mr. Walker two days back. So, when Brent had asked him to join him, he had agreed to go along with him.

The way Brent’s face lit up when he heard that Rob would join him made Rob feel a little guilty inside. But, it was soon squashed as Brent started running his mouth from the moment they boarded the car.

Rob was once again wondering if he did the right thing by agreeing to join Brent. Already one technical speech had put him to sleep today and he wasn’t keen on listening to another dozen.

"So, what did you think of their UI-OS? You were pretty interested in it from what I saw. But, you went to sleep midway. I don’t know how to define that?" Brent asked after some time seeing that Rob wasn’t that keen on discussing technical stuff.

"I think it has potential. I went to sleep because all this technical mumbo-jumbo seemed to fly right over my head. Overall, I like it?" Rob replied.

"Seriously, you like that piece of junk? It has nothing in it, it is just a pretty bauble," Brent said in surprise.

"Pretty bauble it may be to you, but to me, that looked more practical than what you guys keep talking to me," Rob said pointedly causing Brent’s mouth to snap shut.

Silence ensued following that as Brent seemed not to know how to reply to that. Rob didn’t feel like initiating a conversation either. So, they both drove in silence for a bit.

"Ok, I just had to ask. What do you see in it? I mean, really, they haven’t done anything new. Apart from that mouse thing, I admit that it has some potential. But, apart from it, they have only degraded several existing features and added a graphic display. What do you see in it?"

Brent asked after some time unable to hold back his curiosity anymore. Rob took a deep breath. He didn’t know how to put it in simpler terms for Brent to understand. They both had different thoughts on what was progress. Just as, he was struggling a high-class car with amazing features overtook them and was gone in a blink.

Brent and Rob exchanged a look and smiled at each other.

"You know what, I think I have an idea as to how to put it to you," Rob said collecting his thoughts. Brent indicated that he was listening by giving him a nod to carry on.

"You saw that supercar right? It had all these amazing features and could really go fast. Everyone likes talking about them. We all want to own one of them and show off to girls and stuff, right?"

Brent nodded in agreement.

"Then, take a look at your car. It has nothing when compared to that supercar. Several of the features are downgraded and it isn’t that fast either. Now, why do you think more people are willing to buy this compared to the supercar?"

"They are expensive, duh?"

"Exactly my point," Rob said looking at Brent. "While the supercar or those expensive models are the obviously superior ones, common people like us don’t buy it because we have no need to go that fast or we don’t have enough money. We are content to watch it from inside our normal car and sigh in appreciation."

"You and your friends keep talking about how to improve this, that, and whatnot in computers. But, what you guys never seemed to understand is that for a common man like me, those are all unrelated. What I want is something I can use. In short, you guys are trying to build supercars, and IndiSoft is building ordinary cars."

"Ordinary cars are something I can afford. I don’t need a supercar to drive around, an ordinary car is enough for me. Would I like to own a supercar? Definitely, a hundred percent. But, do I need to own a supercar? Nope."

"While you all break your heads trying to make the next supercar, IndiSoft is going to dominate the market with ordinary cars. They will be making money hand over fist and this will in turn allow them to hire more talented people. These talented people who will gather there will improve these ordinary computers slowly, but surely, and will catch up to your advancement in these mind-blowing computers you keep harping about."

"Meanwhile, you all will be struggling to create that supercar, because a) you are not earning anything meanwhile, which means your funds will be short; b) you are all working on different things with no set goal, which means your manpower will be reduced as well. Anyway, I see it, IndiSoft’s approach seems more practical to me."

Brent looked astonished by what Rob had said. He looked as if someone had taken a big hammer and smashed it over his head. He didn’t reply immediately. He merely drove as if he was in a daze.

Rob didn’t feel like explaining further. He had already said too much. If Brent doesn’t change his view about IndiSoft’s approach even after such an explanation, Rob didn’t know how to talk to him further. Ignorance is not scary, willful ignorance is the scariest thing.

Knowing that you are wrong and still stubbornly clinging to your ideals would only end in disaster. A man must know how to admit his mistakes and learn from them. He had first-hand experience with such things due to his previous life. So, Rob didn’t speak anymore.

After some time, Brent again opened his mouth.

"You know, your speech is kind of similar to what my uncle said yesterday," Brent chuckled shaking his head. "I thought he was too old-fashioned to understand the new technologies. Now, even you are talking like him."

Rob didn’t know how to react to that. There was something uncomfortable in his chest when he heard Brent speak so. Rob shifted uneasily in his seat but remained silent for a few moments.

As he looked over at Brent who was driving obliviously, Rob felt as if he wasn’t treating Brent right. The guilt that he had felt when Mr. Walker talked to him was rearing its head again. And it made him very uncomfortable.

"Actually," Rob let out a huge sigh and spoke, "I just had a conversation with your uncle on Friday night. Maybe that was the reason he said the same things in my mind to you."

"What???" Brent asked in surprise.

"Careful, don’t bash into the other car," Rob hissed as Brent righted the car and turned to look at him. "Look," Rob took a deep breath and explained. "I was at your uncle’s office on Friday evening. He was helping me with some investment stuff. The conversation about investing in your company came up and I said these things."

"Oh, ok, ok," Brent said breathing a little easier now. "What company did you invest in? I thought you were interested in computers. I don’t think any company is making money in this field for you to invest all your savings in."

Brent frowned a little and looked at him.

"IndiSoft," Rob said succinctly causing Brent to stare at him in shock. "Careful, you are going to drive over!!!"

Rob exclaimed and tried to right the car from the passenger seat. Brent’s mind booted back from the surprise and he controlled it quickly. Rob was feeling vexed by these events. He didn’t know saying the truth to Brent would put his life in danger.

"You know what, just pull over. We can have this discussion and then, then, we will start the car up," Rob said rubbing his brows in frustration.

Brent complied. He pulled the car over and turned it off. The duo sat in silence for a few minutes. Neither of them spoke. Rob was feeling both angry and frustrated by Brent’s apparent inability to handle new revelations. Brent, for his part, was recalibrating his mind with the new information that had come in.

"You actually invested in IndiSoft before even seeing their product?" Brent exclaimed after some time.

"Even when I heard about their product for the first time from you, I thought it had potential. I wanted to invest in them right at that moment. But, I didn’t have enough money. Even now, I basically emptied my bank account, advanced my pay and stuff to barely scrap enough to invest in them."

"Seriously, you didn’t even check out their product!!!" Brent said in exasperation.

"It wasn’t the product I invested in, Brent. It was the idea I invested in. I knew that this idea had good market potential. So, I invested in them."

*****

A/N: Hey folks!

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You can also check out my other book [Demon Immortal] and see if it is to your liking.

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